Printed circuit board connector

ABSTRACT

A circuit board having metal eyelets in one end thereof that are the terminals of the electrical circuit on the board is mated with a connector that has a plurality of pairs of male members that a re aligned with and pass into the eyelet holes in the circuit board. When the circuit board is inserted into the connector, the male members enter both sides of the holes in the circuit board and, by action of the planar surfaces of the end portions of opposing male members, the male members are forced into pressure contact with the inner wall of the holes thereby completing the electrical circuit between the connector and the circuit board.

United States Patent 1 McKeown et al.

[54] PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD CONNECTOR [75] Inventors: James E. McKeown; Donald E.

Michel, Sidney, both of N.Y.

[73] Assignee: The Bendix Corporation, Southfield,

Mich.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 126,801

[52] U.S. Cl. ..339/17 L, 339/48, 339/75 MP [51] Int. Cl. ..H05k 1/04 [58] Field of Search ..339/17, 75, 176 M,

339/176 MP, 217 R, 217 S, 213 T, 256, 258, 252, 253, 260, 261, 273,174, 74, 48, 49 B,

1311961 Great Britain ..339/75 MP 4/1960 France ..339/75 MP Primary Examiner.loseph H. McGlynn Assistant Examiner-Terrell P. Lewis Attorney-Raymond J. Eifler and Plante, Hartz, Smith & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A circuit board having metal eyelets in one end thereof that are the terminals of the electrical circuit on the board is mated with a connector that has a plurality of pairs of male members that a re aligned with and pass into the eyelet holes in the circuit board. When the circuit board is inserted into the connector, the male members enter both sides of the holes in the circuit board and, by action of the planar surfaces of the end portions of opposing male members, the male members are forced into pressure contact with the inner wall of the holes thereby completing theelectrical circuit between. the connector and the circuit board.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented May 1, 1973 s Shets-Sheet 1 FIGURE l FIGURE 2 ES E. MKEOWN ALD E. MICHEL JAM DON

INVENTORS m ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1973 3,731,252

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JAMES E. M KEOWN DONALD E. MICHEL INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented May 1, 1973 3,731,252-

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGURE 6 JAMES E. M KEOWN DONALD E. MICH EL INVENTORS ATTORNEY PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD CONNECTOR CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATES APPLICATIONS This application is related to application Ser. No. 126,803 filed Mar. 22, 1971 entitled Electrical Contact mailed to the Patent Office concurrently with this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electrical connectors and is more particularly related to a new type of circuit board COI'II'ICCIIOI'.

Presently, printed circuit boards are connected to other electrical circuits by mating plated electrical conductors on' the end portion of a printed circuit card with a card edge connector. Some of the disadvantages associated with present card edge connectors are: plating the conductors on the printed circuit board is generally expensive (gold plating in wide use); Poor electrical contact begins to occur after prolonged use; and during shock and vibration testing printed circuit boards come out of the card edge connectors.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To eliminate the disadvantages associated with current printed circuit board connectors, a new type of circuit board connector has been developed that locks into the circuit board and provides a low resistance drop between the circuit board and the connector over the life of the connector.

The invention is a printed circuit board connector arrangement characterized by a circuit board which has a plurality of electrically conducting eyelets or conduits as terminals on one edge thereof, each of which receives a pair of elongated male contact members that by the configuration of their mating surfaces are forced into pressure contact with the wall of the eyelet in the circuit board hole. In one embodiment of the invention, the electrical connector assembly comprises: .A first member having an elongated end portion which includes an angles surface; a second member having an elongated end portion which includes an angled surface in generally parallel face-to-face relationship with the angled surface of the first member, the second member connected to the first member so that the elongated portion of the first member is generally axially aligned with the elongated portion of the second member, the connecting means providing for resilient movement of each of said members; and a housing or conduit (which is generally mounted on a circuit board) having a passage therethrough which includes a first opening for receiving the first member and a second opening for receiving the second member, the passage having a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of one of the members but smaller than the total crosssectional area of both of the members so that when the angled surface portion of the first member is inserted into the housing first opening and the angled surface portion of the second member is inserted into the housing second opening, the angled surfaces, opposing each other, contact each other and force the first and second members into contact with the wall of the passage whereby increasing the axial force on the elongated members increases the force on the housing passage wall by the elongated members. Since the elongated members are in pressure contact with the wall of the conducting eyelet in the circuit board, they also serve to physically retain the circuit board in place during shock and vibration.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new type of circuit board connector.

It is another object of this invention to provide a circuit board connector that physically retains the circuit board when the circuit board is in mated relationship with the connector.

It is still another object of this invention to eliminate the need for expensive plating of conductors on printed circuit cards.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims which form a part of this specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial diagram of the male and female contacts of a circuit board connector assembly.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional diagram of the male and female contacts of a circuit board connector assembly in mated relationship.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the connector that houses the male contacts.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 3 in mated relationship with the circuit board.

FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of an electrical contact.

FIG. 6 illustrates a connector board and connector that embodies the principles of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the basic components of this new type of connector. Two axially aligned male members 10 each of which has an angled surface portion 11 are arranged in spaced relationship so that a circuit board 5 may pass therebetween. The circuit board 5 includes a hole that has an eyelet I mounted therein and a conducting path 3 that is in electrical circuit relationship with the eyelet l. The eyelet l is made of electrically conducting material and is pressed or soldered into place. In this embodiment, the eyelet 1 has been riveted into place and, therefore, includes a lip at both ends. Alternately, a conduit without a lip could be pressure fitted or soldered into position. Further, a plated through-hole may also serve the purposes of this invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the mated relationship between the elongated members 10 and the eyelet 1. An axial force applied to the elongated members 10 in the direction of the circuit board 5 forces the members 10 to contact each other at end surfaces 1 I. Since the angled surfaces 11 are generally in face-to-face parallel relationship, they force the elongated members 10 out of alignment with each other and into the wall of the eyelet 1. Therefore, increasing the axial force on the elongated members 10 increases the force on the inner wall of the eyelet l by the elongated members 10.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred type connector 30 which contains male electrical contacts 10 that accomplish the objects of this invention. In this embodiment, there is an outer casing 8 which contains the inner housing 12, the male contacts 10, the roller bearings 14 and confining members 16. Confining members 16 extend through the outer casing 8 thereby supporting the housing 12 away from one wall of the inner casing 8 and permitting the housing 12 to slide back and forth within the casing 8.

The housing 12 includes an opening 13 for receiving a circuit board. Adjacent to and in line with the opening 13 is a blocking member 17 which is mounted on the wall of the housing 12. The blocking member 17 prevents a circuit board (not shown), which enters opening 13, from entering any further into the housing 12. The elongated male members are connected together in a Y-shape wherein one end of the male members is for receiving an electrical conductor to be placed in electrical circuit relationship with a predetermined terminal on a circuit board. The other end of the Y, which comprises the two male contact members 10, is resilient so that the male contacts may move towards and away from each other. The roller 14 and member 16 are confined to the space between the elongated members 10 and the inner walls of the housing 12.

When a circuit board is inserted into the opening 13 and forced against member 17, the entire housing 12 moves within the casing 8 in the direction of the arrow. As the housing 12 moves, the roller bearing 14 and member 16 which are located in a fixed position, force the male contacts 10 together. As the contacts 10 are forced together, they enter an eyelet in the circuit board (FIG. 4) and are forced against the inner walls of the eyelet. This action completes the electrical circuit relationship between the circuit board and an electrical conductor (not shown) attached to the male contacts at 19. The mating force between the male contacts 10 and the eyelet located in the circuit board is generally sufficient to retain the circuit board in the housing and retain the elongated male members 10 in their mated relationship. An additional apparatus or modification to the existing housing 12 and easing 8 may be made to hold theelongated contacts 10 together once they are in mated relationship with a circuit board terminal.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connector shown in FIG. 3 in mated relationship with a circuit board 5. This view illustrates how the housing 12 has been moved further into the casing 8 by the action of the circuit board 5 entering the opening 13 and pressing against member 17. The force (frictional) of the electrical contacts 10 into the wall of the eyelet 1, together with the force of roller bearing 14 against the arms of the male contact, holds the male contact in locked position. (See FIG. 2 for position of contacts 10 in eyelet l). The wiping action of the male contacts 10 against the inner wall of the eyelet l cleans the contact surfaces of oxides and helps to assure a low resistance drop between the two surfaces over the life of the connector. Generally, the force of the circuit board against member 17 is insufficient to lock together the male contacts 10 and the female eyelet contact 1; therefore, the connector assembly may be modified to include a detent or catch that will hold the housing 12 in the position into which it has been moved by the insertion of the circuit board 5 into the housing 12.

FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a pair of male electrical contacts. A Y-shaped piece of metal having movable arms 9 and a base portion 15 comprises the male contact. The base portion 15 of the Y includes an opening 19 for receiving an electrical conductor. The other end of the base portion is hollowed out to give additional resilience to the arms 9. The ends of each arm 9 are bent towards each other so that each arm 9 includes an axially elongated portion 10 in axial alignment with the axially elongated portion of another arm. In this embodiment, elongated portion 10 terminates in an angled surface which makes an angle of about 30 from the end of the elongated portion 10. It is readily apparent that the application of a force against the arms 9 in the direction towards the other arm will result in the contacting of surfaces 11 against each other. When the force against the arms 9 is removed, the arms 9 will return to their original position.

FIG. 6 illustrates a separable connector which includes a circuit board 5 and a socket 30 that receives the circuit board 5, the socket being the terminal portion of a plurality of electrical wires (not shown). When the circuit board is inserted into the opening 13 of the socket and pressed into the socket, the male members 10 enter the conduits 11 and by their inter-action are forced into pressure contact with the walls of the passage in the conduit 11 thereby completing the electrical circuit relationship between the socket and the circuit board.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the invention as set forth in the appended claims, and, in some cases, certain features of the invention may be used to advantage without corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it .is intended that the illustrative and descriptive materials herein be used to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to limit the scope thereof.

Having described the invention, what is claimed in:

1. A connector assembly comprising:

a first elongated member having an end portion with an angled surface;

a second elongated and electrically conductive member integrally connected to and axially aligned with said first member and having an end portion with an angled surface in generally face-toface relationship with the angled surface of said first member; and

a housing having a first face, a second face opposite said first face, a passage extending therethrough from said first face to said second face, and a conduit comprised of an electrically conducting material mounted in said passage, said conduit having a first opening at one end for receiving said first member and a second opening at the other end for receiving said second elongated member, said conduit sized so that when the angled surface portion of said first member is inserted into said conduit first opening and the angled surface portion of said second member is inserted into said conduit second opening said angled surfaces, opposing each other, contact each other and force at least said second member into pressurized contact with the wall of said conduit whereby increasing the axial force on said elongated members increases the force on said conduit inner wall by said second elongated member.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 including:

means for holding said first and second elongated members in generally axial alignment and spaced relationship; and

means responsive to the movement of said housing between said elongated members for moving said elongated members into said housing passage and into pressure contact with said housing passage wall.

3. An electrical connector assembly comprising:

a receptacle for receiving a plug, said receptacle including:

a first elongated electrical conductor having an end portion with an angled surface;

a second elongated electrical conductor having an end portion with an opposing angled surface; and

means for integrally connecting said first and second elongated conductors in spaced relationship so that the end portions of said first and second elongated conductors are generally axially aligned, said connecting means permitting axial movement of said first and second conductors so that said angled surfaces contact each other and force said elongated conductors out of alignment; and

a plug which includes:

an electrical conducting tube having an opening at one end for receiving said first elongated conductor, an opening at the other end for receiving said second elongated conductor, and an axial passage therethrough that has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional are of one of said elongated conductors but smaller than the total cross-sectional area of both of said elongated conductors, so that when said plug is in mated relationship with said receptacle, a portion of each of said elongated conductors is forced into pressurized contact with the wall of said housing passage.

4. An electrical receptacle for connecting a first electrical conductor to a second electrical conductor, which comprises:

a housing having an opening therein for receiving said first electrical conductor;

anelectrical contact disposed within said housing,

said electrical contact including:

a first elongated electrically conducting member having an end portion with an angled surface;

a second elongated electrically conducting member axially aligned with said first elongated member and having an end portion with an angled surface in planar relationship with the angled surface of said first member, said first and second elongated members disposed adjacent said opening inside said housing; and

means for integrally connecting said first and second elongated members in circuit relationship, said means including means for receiving said second electrical conductor, said first electrical conductor that is inserted into said housing opening including an opening that receives said first and second elongated members when said first conductor is inserted in said housing opening; and

means for axially moving said first and second elongated members together so that the angled surface of one member slidably contacts the angled surface of the other member at a location adjacent said housing opening, said moving means forcing said members together in response to the insertion of said first electrical conductor into said housing whereby said first and second members are connected in electrical circuit relationship with said first electrical conductor.

5. The combination as recited in claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional area of said opening in said second conductor is larger than the cross-sectional area of one of said elongated conductors but smaller than the total cross-sectional area of both of said elongated conductors.

6. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said electrical receptacle connects a plurality of first electrical conductors in predetermined circuit relationship to a plurality of pairs of first and second electrical members.

7. A circuit board connector assembly which comprises:

a circuit board having a plurality of holes arranged in spaced relationship along an end portion of said board, said circuit board having electrical conductors thereon that terminate at one or more of said holes;

plurality of electrically conducting conduits mounted in said holes for receiving electrical conductors, each of said conduits having an inner cross-sectional passage of area A adapted to receive a pair of elongated conductors, said conduits in electrical circuit relationship with the electrical conductor mounted on said circuit board that terminates at said hole; and a male connector which includes:

a housing; and a plurality of axially aligned pairs of elongated electrical conductors mounted in said housing in the same spaced relationship as said holes in said circuit board, each pair of said elongated conductors being part of a single unitary structure adapted to mate with a corresponding conduit passage in said circuit board, and each of said conductors having a tapered end portion and a non-tapered portion,

the cross-sectional area of said non-tapered portion being less than the cross-sectional area A of one of said conduits but the total cross-sectional area of two of said conductors at said non-tapered portion being greater than the cross-sectional area A of one of said conduits so that when said elongated conductors are in mated relationship with said conduits said elongated conductor pairs are in pressure contact with the inner walls of said conduits.

8. A separable electrical connector for circuit boards comprising in combination:

a circuit board having a plurality of holes spaced adjacent to at least one edge of said board;

a conductive surface disposed on one surface of said board and terminating at one of said holes; and

an electrical conducting conduit located in at least gled surface with at least one of said members one of said holes, said conduit in electrical circuit adapted to move in a direction towards the other relationship with said conductive surface terminatmember so h h angled Surfaces f i male mg at S'ald hqle;and members contact each other forcing said male 3 socket mcludmg' members out of alignment, whereby when said cira pair of axially aligned elongated male members adapted to pass into one of said conduits in said circuit board, said pair of male members being part of a single unitary structure with each of said male members terminating in an angled surface in i0 generally fa'ce-to-face relationship to the other ancuit board and said socket are in mated relationship both of said male members are in pressure contact with the walls of said conduit in said circuit board. 

1. A connector assembly comprising: a first elongated member having an end portion with an angled surface; a second elongated and electrically conductive member integrally connected to and axially aligned with said first member and having an end portion with an angled surface in generally faceto-face relationship with the angled surface of said first member; and a housing having a first face, a second face opposite said first face, a passage extending therethrough from said first face to said second face, and a conduit comprised of an electrically conducting material mounted in said passage, said conduit having a first opening at one end for receiving said first member and a second opening at the other end for receiving said second elongated member, said conduit sized so that when the angled surface portion of said first member is inserted into said conduit first opening and the angled surface portion of said second member is inserted into said conduit second opening said angled surfaces, opposing each other, contact each other and force at least said second member into pressurized contact with the wall of said conduit whereby increasing the axial force on said elongated members increases the force on said conduit inner wall by said second elongated member.
 2. The combination recited in claim 1 including: means for holding said first and second elongated members in generally axial alignment and spaced relationship; and means responsive to the movement of said housing between said elongated members for moving said elongated members into said housing passage and into pressure contact with said housing passage wall.
 3. An electrical connector assembly comprising: a receptacle for receiving a plug, said receptacle including: a first elongated electrical conductor having an end portion with an angled surface; a second elongated electrical conductor having an end portion with an opposing angled surface; and means for integrally connecting said first and second elongated conductors in spaced relationship so that the end portions of said first and second elongated conductors are generally axially aligned, said connecting means permitting axial movement of said first and second conductors so that said angled surfaces contact each other and force said elongated conductors out of alignment; and a plug which includes: an electrical conducting tube having an opening at one end for receiving said first elongated conductor, an opening at the other end for receiving said second elongated conductor, and an axial passage therethrough that has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional are of one of said elongated conductors but smaller than The total cross-sectional area of both of said elongated conductors, so that when said plug is in mated relationship with said receptacle, a portion of each of said elongated conductors is forced into pressurized contact with the wall of said housing passage.
 4. An electrical receptacle for connecting a first electrical conductor to a second electrical conductor, which comprises: a housing having an opening therein for receiving said first electrical conductor; an electrical contact disposed within said housing, said electrical contact including: a first elongated electrically conducting member having an end portion with an angled surface; a second elongated electrically conducting member axially aligned with said first elongated member and having an end portion with an angled surface in planar relationship with the angled surface of said first member, said first and second elongated members disposed adjacent said opening inside said housing; and means for integrally connecting said first and second elongated members in circuit relationship, said means including means for receiving said second electrical conductor, said first electrical conductor that is inserted into said housing opening including an opening that receives said first and second elongated members when said first conductor is inserted in said housing opening; and means for axially moving said first and second elongated members together so that the angled surface of one member slidably contacts the angled surface of the other member at a location adjacent said housing opening, said moving means forcing said members together in response to the insertion of said first electrical conductor into said housing whereby said first and second members are connected in electrical circuit relationship with said first electrical conductor.
 5. The combination as recited in claim 4 wherein the cross-sectional area of said opening in said second conductor is larger than the cross-sectional area of one of said elongated conductors but smaller than the total cross-sectional area of both of said elongated conductors.
 6. The combination as recited in claim 5 wherein said electrical receptacle connects a plurality of first electrical conductors in predetermined circuit relationship to a plurality of pairs of first and second electrical members.
 7. A circuit board connector assembly which comprises: a circuit board having a plurality of holes arranged in spaced relationship along an end portion of said board, said circuit board having electrical conductors thereon that terminate at one or more of said holes; a plurality of electrically conducting conduits mounted in said holes for receiving electrical conductors, each of said conduits having an inner cross-sectional passage of area A adapted to receive a pair of elongated conductors, said conduits in electrical circuit relationship with the electrical conductor mounted on said circuit board that terminates at said hole; and a male connector which includes: a housing; and a plurality of axially aligned pairs of elongated electrical conductors mounted in said housing in the same spaced relationship as said holes in said circuit board, each pair of said elongated conductors being part of a single unitary structure adapted to mate with a corresponding conduit passage in said circuit board, and each of said conductors having a tapered end portion and a non-tapered portion, the cross-sectional area of said non-tapered portion being less than the cross-sectional area A of one of said conduits but the total cross-sectional area of two of said conductors at said non-tapered portion being greater than the cross-sectional area A of one of said conduits so that when said elongated conductors are in mated relationship with said conduits said elongated conductor pairs are in pressure contact with the inner walls of said conduits.
 8. A separable electrical connector for circuit boards comprising in combination: a circUit board having a plurality of holes spaced adjacent to at least one edge of said board; a conductive surface disposed on one surface of said board and terminating at one of said holes; and an electrical conducting conduit located in at least one of said holes, said conduit in electrical circuit relationship with said conductive surface terminating at said hole; and a socket including: a pair of axially aligned elongated male members adapted to pass into one of said conduits in said circuit board, said pair of male members being part of a single unitary structure with each of said male members terminating in an angled surface in generally face-to-face relationship to the other angled surface with at least one of said members adapted to move in a direction towards the other member so that the angled surfaces of said male members contact each other forcing said male members out of alignment, whereby when said circuit board and said socket are in mated relationship both of said male members are in pressure contact with the walls of said conduit in said circuit board. 